1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image input/output apparatus, an image input/output method and an image processing system which input and output various image data through a storage medium.
2. Related Background Art
In connection with digitization of a copying machine in recent years, a multifunctional machine having plural functions has been put to practical use. In this machine, facsimile transmission and reception are performed by using a scanner and a printer of the copying machine, and PDL (page description language) data from a computer or the like is expanded (or decompressed) and printed out. Such the multifunctional machine is structured to be able to operate not only for a single function such as a copy function, a facsimile function, a PDL printing function or the like, but also for plural functions. For example, the multifunctional machine can operate when a PDL expanded image is facsimile transmitted. Further, it is structured that, if the multifunctional machine is connected to various apparatuses such as the computer and the like through a LAN (local area network), also such the computer and the like can use the functions of the multifunctional machine.
Further, in such the multifunctional machine, by sharing a control program of a printer part with the copy function, the PDL printing function, a facsimile printing function and the like, and by sharing a control program of a reader part with the copy function, a facsimile reading function, a scanning function and the like, a capacity of the control programs for realizing these functions can be reduced, whereby it is possible to economically and simply realize a desired function.
Further, such the multifunctional machine includes an image storage unit such as a large-capacity hard disk, a semiconductor memory or the like for storing image data. Thus, by inputting a read image transferred from a scanner, the PDL expanded image, a facsimile-received document and the like into the image storage unit, and by repeatedly outputting or facsimile-transmitting the stored images and documents to a printer, it is possible to perform effective image processing.
In the multifunctional machine which includes such the image storage unit, an image data input operation to store the read image from the scanner, the PDL expanded image, the facsimile-received document or the like into this image storage unit and an image data output operation to repeatedly output or facsimile-transmit the stored image and/or document to the printer can be performed at different time. Namely, it is possible to store the image data into the image storage unit and thereafter read and output the stored data at arbitrary time.
However, after the input image data is stored into the image storage unit, if the body structure of the multifunctional machine is changed because option equipment is installed in or released from the multifunctional machine before the image data is output, it is impossible to take adjustment between the body structure for the image processing at the image data input time and the latest body structure, whereby an error state that desired image processing can not be performed occurs. As a result, it is possible to cause the problem that the image output stops at that time and thus obstacle comes to following image output operations.
Further, at the time when the image data is input, only the image processing function which is practicable by the multifunctional machine at that time can be set. In other words, even if option equipment which has a function which is practicable after the image data is input is added, the image processing using such the function can not be set at the image data input time. Therefore, for example, even if a user foresees the change of the body structure of the multifunctional machine beforehand and thus wishes to submit a job which is supposed to be practicable after the body structure of the machine is changed, he can not submit (or input) such the job.
An object of the present invention is to enable, even if a body structure of a multifunctional machine is changed because option equipment is installed in or released from the machine after input image data is stored into an image storage unit and before the stored image data is output, the multifunctional machine to output the image data if necessary.
Another object of the present invention is to enable, as to a function which is practicable by adding option equipment or the like after image data is input, a multifunctional machine to set image processing using such the function at the time when the image data is input.
Namely, the present invention is to provide an image input/output apparatus comprising:
input means for inputting image data from at least one image input unit;
storage means for storing the image data input by the input means;
output means for outputting the image data stored in the storage means to at least one image output unit;
setting means for setting an image processing content to be performed by the image output unit when the image data is input by the input means;
detection means for detecting a structure of the image output unit;
restriction means for restricting the image processing content capable of being set by the setting means, in accordance with the detection output of the detection means; and
selection means for previously selecting whether or not the setting restriction of the image processing content is to be performed by the restriction means.
Further, the present invention is to provide an image input/output apparatus comprising:
input means for inputting image data from at least one image input unit;
storage means for storing the image data input by the input means;
output means for outputting the image data stored in the storage means to at least one image output unit;
setting means for setting an image processing content to be performed by the image output unit when the image data is input by the input means;
detection means for detecting a structure of the image output unit when the image data is output by the output means; and
judgment means for judging whether the image processing content set by the setting means is practicable or nonpracticable, according to the detection output of the detection means,
wherein, when it is judged by the judgment means that the image processing content set by the setting means is nonpracticable, the image input/output apparatus operates in a first mode to stop the image processing of the image processing content judged to be nonpracticable, and in a second mode to change the image processing content judged to be nonpracticable to another image processing content and then perform the image processing.
Further, the present invention is to provide an image input/output method for an image input/output apparatus which inputs image data from at least one image input unit, stores the input image data into storage means, and outputs the image data stored in the storage means to at least one image output unit, the method comprising:
a detection step of detecting a structure of the image output unit when the image data is input from the image input unit;
a setting step of setting an image processing content to be performed by the image output unit when the image data is input from the image input unit;
a restriction step of restricting the image processing content capable of being set in the setting step, in accordance with the detection output of the detection step; and
a selection step of previously selecting whether or not the setting restriction of the image processing content is to be performed in the restriction step.
Further, the present invention is to provide an image input/output method for an image input/output apparatus which inputs image data from at least one image input unit, stores the input image data into storage means, and outputs the image data stored in the storage means to at least one image output unit, the method comprising:
a setting step of setting an image processing content to be performed by the image output unit when the image data is input from the image input unit;
a detection step of detecting a structure of the image output unit when the image data is output to the image output unit; and
a judgment step of judging whether the image processing content set in the setting step is practicable or nonpracticable, according to the detection output of the detection step,
wherein, when it is judged in the judgment step that the image processing content set in the setting step is nonpracticable, the image input/output apparatus operates in a first mode to stop the image processing of the image processing content judged to be nonpracticable, and in a second mode to change the image processing content judged to be nonpracticable to another image processing content and then perform the image processing.
Further, the present invention is to provide an image processing system which stores image data input from at least one image input means into storage means, and outputs the image data stored in the storage means to at least one image output means, the system comprising:
setting means for setting an image processing content to be performed by the image output means when the image data is input from the image input means;
detection means for detecting a structure of the image output means;
restriction means for restricting the image processing content capable of being set by the setting means, in accordance with the detection output of the detection means; and
selection means for previously selecting whether or not the setting restriction of the image processing content is to be performed by the restriction means.
Further, the present invention is to provide an image processing system which stores image data input from at least one image input means into storage means, and outputs the image data stored in the storage means to at least one image output means, the system comprising:
setting means for setting an image processing content to be performed by the image output means when the image data is input from the input means;
detection means for detecting a structure of the image output means when the image data is output to the output means; and
judgment means for judging whether the image processing content set by the setting means is practicable or nonpracticable, according to the detection output of the detection means,
wherein, when it is judged by the judgment means that the image processing content set by the setting means is nonpracticable, the image processing system operates in a first mode to stop the image processing of the image processing content judged to be nonpracticable, and in a second mode to change the image processing content judged to be nonpracticable to another image processing content and then perform the image processing.